Weight management during pregnancy, what is new?

Purpose of review: The prevalence of women entering pregnancy with overweight or obesity is increasing which raises concerns for adverse outcomes for mothers and their infants. Evidence suggests that appropriate gestational weight gain is important, irrespective of maternal BMI. The aim of this present article is to review the evidence on weight management during pregnancy and evaluate the evidence on current interventions.

Recent findings: There is currently no standardized definition of 'excessive' gestational weight gain or a unified approach to manage gestational weight, despite the rising prevalence of maternal overweight and obesity globally. Recently, the Dietary Intervention in Gestational Diabetes (DiGest) trial showed promising results for energy restriction as a potential strategy to reduce gestational weight gain and improve maternal and infant outcomes. Pharmacological treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, also show promise, but safety concerns remain requiring further research. More studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of both lifestyle and pharmacological interventions to guide future clinical recommendations.

Summary: There is a need for individualized guidelines that consider maternal characteristics including ethnicity, preexisting conditions and emerging health risks, to tackle weight management during pregnancy and improve pregnancy outcomes. Further research is needed on optimal weight management strategies during pregnancy.